Asking The Dust Of Time
by KlarolineDreamCatchers
Summary: Caroline Forbes has fallen. The sweet peasant girl is dead. Katherine Pierce has been lifted. The manipulative psychotic bitch is dead. Who is there then?
1. Chapter 1: Elena and Caroline

**Chapter 1**

_**Elena and Caroline**_

_**Dear Diary,**_

It had been eight months since Elizabeth Forbes; recognized Mystic Falls sheriff had died. Eight months since Bonnie had challenged Silas to a battle of life and death; in which she failed to survive. Eight months since Damon had separated from Elena to continue their lives, eight months since Stefan and Klaus were absent to resolve some issues in New Orléans.

Elena knew that her best friend Caroline was not in good condition, eight months ago the news had given her to the point of fracture every corner of her soul. Yes well, Elena knew Caroline very well; she knew she was still there, so she had as main goal to make the former Miss Forbes back in life. Upon hearing the news made its way to the house of her friend, one of Caroline's uncles had informed her that it was better to leave her alone in times of trouble, she respected his advice.

After four months of respectful attitude to the pain of loss, Elena decided to try, to get to Caroline. She made her way to the hall room. Caroline's room. She noticed that certain things were not well, many of the seats were scattered all over the floor, they had many ornaments and souvenirs of photography pieces, some parts of the walls were stained with what appeared to be paint. She was not scared, she knew what meant losing someone who was always by your side, and she was surprised at the way Caroline had taken it.

Caroline was recognized for being charismatic, kind, sometimes selfish, open-minded, in all a teenager. Elena had never retracted to think what kind of person was the blonde until that day, the walls, pictures with black paint, cracked wooden doors, adornments tattered, the place called suicide. She entered the room to be sure that the vampire had not yet been dissected for shortage of activity.

She listened in the hallway what appeared to be the key to the shower on, she sighed in relief, Caroline was just taking a shower. After the hours passed Elena could not understand why Caroline did not go out, she shook her head from the couch to see the clock on the wall, afraid to see it was too long, she ran with vampire speed to the bathroom and opened the door abruptly. The blonde sunk in the bath tub. Clearly Caroline would be fine, she was a vampire after all.

What mattered was that she had discovered that it was not the first time that her friend had used suicide methods to forget the last misfortune of her life. She had learned through neighbors, friends and other relatives; cuts, drowning, suffocation, sun exposure, etc... Jenna used to tell that horrible scars reflect a person with serious emotional conflicts. Caroline was one of those people.

Two months later, she had managed to reach a more expressive Caroline in the verbal sense, and less communicative in the emotional sense. Elena had tried to contact Tyler often through those two months; he never once answered or gave sign of life. She had made a deal with Rebekah, offering the cure in exchange for the location of the hybrid. The blonde had agreed so easily, perhaps feeling sorry for the loss of Caroline's mother.

Four days after the deal, the woman of the original family had returned with results, the blonde began with its current location; Tyler is apparently staying in California, where he found a pack of werewolves and living in a hotel room shared with a "friend". From the moment Rebekah had emphasized the word "friend" that way she knew where things were.

The blonde commented that the woman he was living with has brown hair, brown eyes and long slender legs, plus the very attractive description, her attention go to the fact that Rebekah much accentuated that the woman was a werewolf, probably thought that Caroline was better off without him. Rebekah also mentioned that she had spoken with the hybrid about the events in Mystic Falls and he had feigned interest, so she didn't even bother to comment that Caroline a couple of months ago had been suicidal. Plus she actually told him about the sheriff's death. And even with that information, Tyler did not return. Elena decided to shelve the issue.

Months ago Stefan's calls were annoying, as the phone does not stop ringing every day, she was still upset with him for leaving and let them face these times alone. She knew Caroline had also received calls from both; Stefan and Klaus. But she had seen to mention via text message the death of the Sheriff, they wanted to come back but she pushed the idea telling them that Caroline wanted to be alone and needed space, so they decided to respect the idea .

Now beginning to remind others, she remembered her brother, Jeremy. After the death of Bonnie, the days had been filled with terrible misfortune but there was always a way to get ahead. Up to this point in life, Jeremy just like her knew that hurting themselves was not going to bring anyone back to life, they knew they had to accept that death was coming and sometimes even supernatural beings must engage the idea. He currently was in Chicago with an old friend of Jenna to have a normal life and live some time away from supernatural beings. Matt had been accepted into a sports university in Europe, everyone was very happy for him.

She didn't know the current location of Damon. Damon. That was another issue that she did not want to deal with. After all they had lived, experienced and grown was disappointed that it ended as soon as it began. But that's another story for another day. Next time.

_**Regretfully, Elena Gilbert.**_


	2. Chapter 2: New York

**Chapter two**

**New York**

Currently settled in the Big Apple, the world capital. New York. Caroline and Elena shared a luxury apartment in Manhattan. Both had left Mystic Falls two months since Elena heard the news of Tyler. To their surprise they found that they were not alone in the city, Rebekah Mikaelson was gone one month after treatment to meet her older brother, Elijah. Both originals were living under the same city as them. A couple of times they had greeted and another pair had arranged to go to dinner together. That was when Elena realized something that Caroline knew already; they were not so bad after all.

Rebekah looked like someone very kind, gentle and with tranquility, a very different Rebekah whom they had known. And Elijah, the one that really was confused with him was Caroline, since she did not know him as well as Elena did. A man of honor, word, full of moral and cordiality, he was the perfect definition for hero, but they all knew that he was not born to be a hero.

Elena did not want to admit it but her proximity to the new Caroline was more intriguing, so she would rather be blind to the situation. Or rather it was easier.

Everything was so different; they weren't the same little girls that feared Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah. They didn't Kol too much, but knew that Klaus had contacted a witch in New Orleans to get him back. And now everything was different.

None of them was afraid of Klaus, in fact he and Stefan are best friends now; from what they heard. Elena was not exactly friends with Klaus, because he was the murderer of her aunt but she reminded herself that she was the killer of Finn and Kol. Klaus and Caroline. What could be said about these two?, they had the most complicated relationship of all Mystic Falls but also the most perfect one. Elena always was a little jealous that the hybrid was too good for Caroline.

Elena always thought that if Klaus was going to fall in love that he was going to fall for her. She always thinks big of herself, she is Elena Gilbert; she had every guy she wanted. Sometimes she rambled to think what was so interesting about Caroline. She had the world's most powerful being attention, plus, the love of this man.

A murderer, who had terrified, but at the end of time all sinned to be bad, and all at least once had killed someone. Klaus learned that a witch in New Orleans was trying to make a move against him, before graduation he had gone along with Stefan, according to the latest would not take much. This was one of the main reasons why she and Caroline; although the blonde would not admit it, both were angry with them. None of them returned for graduation or Bonnie's funeral, or the funeral of the sheriff, or when Matt was gone, nor when Jeremy left, or when Caroline was on the verge of collapse, not leaned out even once.

Apparently, as Rebekah put it, they were it was wishful thought that they would return only to meet the welfare of a village girl. She said that Stefan was very old and that they had to stop to bother him with boring excuses of teen drama. She also said that maybe Klaus simply did not care. Elena had questioned she everything, since Stefan was a very good friend to be so cynical. And she reminded her that Klaus was in love with Caroline.

Rebekah had laughed on her face. She had thrown up that the only reason they stayed in town was because the doppelganger was alive, but as a vampire was of no use to anyone. She didn't understand why Rebekah had reason to try to make her believe such a thing until the moment she uttered the following words: "Caroline and you would make a better use of time is you girls do everything by themselves" That was when she understood. There's no need to Stefan, Damon, Matt, Tyler or Klaus. All were living their lives while they slowly die of worries, hassles, waiting for Prince Charming with eighteen horses to come for them. But that was the past. This was better. They were better.


	3. Chapter 3: Caroline Forbes

_**Caroline Forbes**_

The snow stuck to the skin with each step she took, the warmth of her body was wrapped around sweater fabric. The people dispersed to their sides, with their heads in their affairs, all walked hurry to reach different destinations.

"Are you okay? You look thoughtful." - Elena's question had removed her from the environment that had set on her brain. She turned her head slightly to get a better view of her friend.

"Yes".

Through the years, responses, expressions, actions and reactions not only herself had surprised, but to everyone. The teen blonde with bright personality, selfish, judgmental, annoying and irritating no longer existed, there was no sign of it in what Caroline Forbes was now. The brilliance had changed to something more intellectual, the selfishness had changed to something more understandable, criticism had changed to be a criterion, the annoying and irritating now was just silence. There was nothing disturbing in it, nothing irritating. You could say it was the best company for everyone. The predictable Caroline now was a woman full of mystery and silence.

Elena had tried to change the annoying Caroline of the past; well she had fulfilled the wish. Elena was sure that Stefan would not even take a look at this new Caroline because it would have scared him. Tyler had always remarked how selfish and shallow Caroline was; well now there was nothing of it in her.

Her mother would probably be intensely worried for Caroline. If she had been like this from the beginning, if she would have been smarter, she could have prevented Damon to left her as simply silly and brainless blonde without consciousness. Matt would not have preferred Elena if she had not been so stupid in every decision. Bonnie could had supported her primarily if she wasn't busy preferring to Elena, she always said the right things without trying. And Klaus would probably not be tired of her.

"I promise it will only be this time, I need to know something." Actually, Caroline knew more than that. Elena not only needed to know something, but she needed to know something from someone. Her friend was blind to society overall. The restlessness, lack of adult supervision or encouraging figure, massive depression, lack of environment made Elena Gilbert shy and insecure.

The Elena Gilbert that was willing to save her from Alaric, the brave and bold, now was an insecure neurotic. Now, what an interesting change of tables.

Not only personality changed but the appearance as well. Caroline no longer covered herself with floral dresses, cowboy boots, girl pinkish slippers, decorated blouses, colorful makeup, and her little curls. There was none of that in her. Instead the curlers were a thing of the past, straight hair was up to her now, had no dresses, no pretty girl shoes, nothing. Her appearance resembled a blonde Katherine Pierce.

What about Elena? Elena chose to wear short shorts with colorful blouses, and her hair full of curlers, maybe both had exchanged more than hairstyles.

"Of course." As always her answer was not a confirmation or denial, but a reply full of boredom and monotony.

They walked down by the Fifth Avenue to get to a fancy restaurant where they would have lunch. Not exactly came to lunch, since the idea of coming to this place was of Elena. The brunette came to spy on an old friend, because "she did not care" if he was seeing another woman.

They entered the fancy and well-mannered place. The establishment was not like the others of Mystic Falls; full of old lights, brown walls or depressed waiters/waitresses. No, none of that was there. There were extravagant lights, fine marble walls and the service could not be nicer. By getting the assigned table both sat waiting for the waitress on duty.

"Pathetic." Elena raised its view from the menu to see the blonde. She watched her with a raised eyebrow, confused.

"What is pathetic?" Elena asked as she tried to make the judgment of Caroline. She was sure it sounded paranoid to analyze every word of her friend, but a couple of months ago she realized that the blonde had a hidden intellectual way of thinking and seeing things. Maybe she never noticed before because she was too busy watching her personal and romantic life.

"This." Her voice was dry but the meaning was obvious. Elena had been stupid if she thought Caroline had not noticed the reason why they were in that restaurant. It was a name with five letters.

_**Damon.**_

"Care, we are not here for old romances." Maybe if she could convince Caroline she would convince herself.

"You're an idiot. He does not care." The words hurt sometimes too, especially if they are coming from someone like Caroline.

"I'm not here for him." This time had answered her angrily. Beginning to feel like the veins were burning and the pain in the chest appeared.

"Elena." The blonde said her name for first time since they had arrived. "What makes you feel so sure about the stupid hedonist? Do you think that because he chased you like lap dog all over town declaring his eternal love means you're the only one that he has made those games?

That had hurt more. Caroline had reduced the invisible foolish hope in Elena's soul. It was broken. She didn't even try to hide her expression.

"Well, tell me how you feel." The sarcasm was a way out of pain.

The blonde just shrugged "It's not how I feel, it's the way things are"

"Maybe if things were not as hard and cold for you, I would beg to differ your statement." Elena was sure it was not a good idea provoke Caroline.

"Am I supposed to be scared?" The blonde stared defiantly.

"No, but you could at least try to have consideration for me" Caroline laughed at Elena's response. The laugh was dry and cruel. Elena gulped.

"I am not Stefan or Bonnie or Matt. I'm not going to apologize for you. I will not beg for your attention. And if I have already not been clear, I will not have you in consideration" The voice of the blonde was sharp, dangerous and monotonous. Elena felt her hands wet and her eyes began to water.

This was not the Caroline she knew. I had no idea who was the monster in front of her.

This was a new kind of woman. Completely airtight.


End file.
